I'ma Keep It Real, Scoop on Veteran Suicides 😎
Skim the Essentials 📰
- 🤥 Around 140,000 service members have reportedly ended their lives, per Stop Soldier Suicide.
- 😞 In 2022, the VA reported that over 6,400 veterans died by suicide.
- 🖍️ Suicide attempts are mainly occurring post-service, particularly in the first 3 months, and veterans are 58% more likely to do so compared to non-military individuals.
On the Current Scene 🔎
- 💸🤝🏼 The VA is dropping $52.5M in grants to community organizations that offer mental health care and crisis services for veterans in need. Applications up to $750k are welcome, and grants can be renewed annually until the program ends. The deadline's July 18 at 4:59 p.m. EST, as per Newsweek.
- 🏆 Funding comes from the Staff Sgt. Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, recently revamped to help enhance mental health care for vets. Since its inception in '22, over $157M has been awarded to nearly 100 organizations across 43 states and various territories.
Extra Ammo for Ya 🎯
- 🚨This grant aidware complements other recent VA initiatives, like nixing the need for a second VA doc's authorization for care & services outside of their system, speeding up the care process and slashing administrative BS.
- 🤝🏼 VA also announced updates to simplify benefits claims for families of deceased veterans, such as the relocation of the Office of Survivors Assistance, the introduction of a "White-Glove" Survivor Outreach Team, and boosting tech use to expedite claim processing.
- Suicide Prevention
- Veteran
- Military
- News
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, it's crucial to address the concerning rates of mental-health issues among veterans who have reportedly died by suicide at a rate that's 58% higher than non-military individuals.
- Sports and recreation, such as playing cricket or participating in other physical activities, can help veterans manage their mental health and potentially reduce the risk of suicide attempts.
- As technology advances, digital platforms could be leveraged to provide mental health support, thereby complementing the VA's grant initiatives aimed at improving mental health care for veterans.
- The capacity to prevent suicide among veterans can be enhanced through the integration of evidence-based clinical strategies and community collaborations, as advocated by the VA's public health approach to addressing the veteran suicide crisis.
New funding of $52 million allocated by Virginia for initiatives aimed at preventing veteran suicides
🎯 The VA's mission is to address the veteran suicide crisis through a public health approach, partnering with community-based efforts and evidence-based clinical strategies to reach vets in accessible ways. The new grant program underscores the importance of community collaborations in tackling this critical issue.
